Cooking range



N 9 19% A. E. SMALLWOOD COOKING RANGE Filed Dec. 50, 1944 ZNVENTOR.

aria/W467 Patented Nov. 14, 1950 COOKING RANGE Albert E. Smallwood, Taunton, Mass., assignor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a, corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,687

4 Claims.

My invention relates to gas ranges and more particularly to arranging and supporting top burners in the cooking top of domestic gas ranges.

With domestic gas ranges it is necessary that the top burners and burner accessories be removed periodically so that they may be cleaned. This is necessitated by spillovers from cooking utensils on the top burners.

It is also necessary that the top burners be readily removed so as to clean the inside of the burner compartment. For this reason, it is desirable that the top burners be supported in such manner that both the burners and their supports may be readily removed from the burner compartment so as to leave this compartment relatively free of obstructions, sharp angular members, or the like, which would otherwise hinder the removal of accumulated smudge or grease from the burner compartment.

On the other hand, it is necessary and desirable that the top burners and burner accessories be firmly secured in the cooking top so that the burners are properly centered at all times and so that the burner grates, for example, are steady and level, thereby eliminating the tipping over of small cooking utensils.

It is further desirable that the top burner flash tubes, which ignite the several burners from a constantly-burning pilot or the like, be definitely and securely located with respect to the burners and to the pilot.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a gas range wherein the top burners and burner supports may be readily removed and disassembled for cleaning.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a gas range wherein, when the top burners and burner supports are removed, the interior of the burner compartment is free of obstructions which would otherwise hinder the cleaning of said compartment.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a gas range wherein the top burners and burner accessories, while readily removable, are securely and firmly mounted in the cooking top.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a gas range wherein the top burner flash tubes are secured and properly located between the igniter and the several burners which they serve.

My invention, together with its objects and advantages, i more fully set forth in the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts throughout, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a gas range incorporating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view, partly in section, of one of my improved burner assemblies;

Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view of the cooking top illustrated in Fig. 1; and v Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of my improved burner supporting rings and attached flash tube.

Referring now to the drawings, l0 designates generally the cooking top of a domestic gas range. This cooking top includes a topor working panel i I provided with four circular openings 12 located longitudinally and in line across the rear portion of said panel. Each of openings [2 is adapted to receive a top burner assembly designated generally by reference haracters l3, I3, 13" and I3. A back guard l4 projects upwardly from panel I! and is provided with ventilating louvers IS. The front of the cooking top is formed with an inclined panel or console [6 adapted to receive and support gas valves I! for the top burners. This console also supports the gas valves (not shown) and control dials l8 and I9 for the oven and broiler (not shown). Each of the gas valves is equipped with a manually-operable button or handle 20 and each valve is connected to a gas manifold 2!. A gas tube 22 is connected at one end to each of the gas valves [1 and is provided on its opposite end with a nozzle 23. Nozzles 23 are supported by an elongate bracket or angle :hinder the cleaning of said panel. A pair of pilot burners 21 (shown in broken lines in Fig. 1) are located in compartment 25 and are, supplied with gas from manifold 2| by conduits 28, which conduits art supported by bracket 24. Pilots 21 are supported by brackets (not shown) which are generally similar to bracket 24 and which support said pilots clear of bottom panel 26.

Top burner assemblies 13 and [3", which are interchangeable, have a mixing tube projecting from the left side and a flash tube from the right side thereof, as viewed. in Fig. 1. Top burner assemblies l3 and I3, which are interchangeable, have a mixing tube projecting from the respectively, of a gas burner 43.

right side and a flash tube from the left side thereof. Otherwise, each of the top burner assemblies is substantially identical; therefore, a description of one assembly will suflice for the four. Referring now to Figs. 2-4, each of the openings l2 in top panel II is bound by a downwardly-projecting flange 29 which is formed with three unequally-spaced ears 30. Ears 30 are each provided with openings to receive small locating pins 3| which pins are screw threaded on their lower ends and are attached to the ears 30 as by a nut as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A ring-shaped supporting member 32, made of an angle member and provided with three unequally-spaced openings 33, is supported by ears 30 with locating pins 3| projecting into openings 33. The spacing of the openings in supporting rings 32 coincide with the spacing of locating pins 3! so as to properly position the burner assemblies within the cooking top open- A stirrup 34 is welded or otherwise securedto supporting ring 32, as at 35. Stirrup 34 isprovided with two openings 38 and 37 adapted to receive centering or locating lugs 38 and 39, Gas burner 40 includes a main burner portion 4|, a simmer burner portion 42 (see Fig. 1), a mixing tube 43,

and an air shutter 44. Air shutter 44 is provided with a central opening 45 adapted to snugly receive gas nozzle 23, thereby providing a third support for the burner. A port 36 is provided in the periphery of burner 40 and is adapted to supply a jet of gas to a flash tube 47. Flash tube 4T is welded or otherwise permanently secured to supporting ring 32 in such manner that when said ring is properly positioned on locating pins 3!, the flash tube will be properly positioned be- .tween the port 46 in the periphery of the burner and one of the pilot burners 21, as shown in Fig.

1. The unequal spacing of ears 3!! and of openings 33 in the supporting ring 32 insures that the supporting ring is properly positioned within the cooking top opening, whereby the flash tube 41 will be properly positioned with respect to the pilot burner and the top burner will be properly positioned within the cooking top opening.

An annular heat reflector 48 flts around the upper portion of burner 49 and is supported on top panel H by a peripheral flange 49. Flange 49 is provided with three equally-spaced semicircular notches 50 in its periphery which are adapted to register with three equally-spaced small openings in top panel I I in the immediate vicinit of the flanged openings l2 of said top panel. A circular grate 52, provided with six tines, fits over burner 43 so as to support cooking utensils above said burner. Alternate tines of grate 52 project beyond the periphery of the circular portion of the grate and are each provided with lugs 53. Lugs 53 are adapted to pass through the three equally-spaced notches 50 of reflector 48 and into the three equallyspaced openings 5| in the top panel, thereby securing both the reflector and the grate in proper position relative to the burner. Each of the reflectors 48 is substantially identical and therefore interchangeable. Also, the grates 52 are substantially identical and interchangeable.

Bottom panel 26 is provided with four embossed portions or bosses 54, one located centrally beneath each of the topopenings l2, and each adapted to receive and locate an individual drip pan 55.

In operation, when it is desired to clean the burner assemblies, the drip pans and/or the burner compartment, the burner assemblies are readily removed by first removing the grates, then the reflectors, then the separate burners, then the burner supporting rings, and finally the individual drip pans, thus leaving the panel 26 free of all obstructions which might hinder the cleaning of said panel. The individual drip pans and each of the elements that make up the burner assemblies are of such size that they may be washed along with the usual household cooking utensils. After the diiferent elements have been washed, they are replaced in the reverse order of their removal. It is to be noted that when the supporting rings and attached flash tubes are returned to their position in the cooking top that the flash tubes are definitely and correctly positioned relative to the pilots. It is also to be noted that the three-point suspension, supporting and locating arrangement of the supporting rings, the burners, the reflectors and the grates insures proper location and centering of each of these elements at all times.

' 'Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a gas range, a top panel provided with a top burner opening, a supporting ring removably supported at three points by said top panel, a gas burner, means supporting said gas burner at three points, a heat reflector surrounding said gas burner, a grate located above said gas burner, and means in said top panel, said reflector and said grate whereby said reflector and said grate are supported and centered at three points relative to said top burner and burner opening.

2. In a gas range, a top panel provided with a top burner opening, a supporting ring removably supported at three points by said top panel, a gas burner, a gas supply conduit, means supporting said gas burner at two points on said supporting ring and at a third point on said gas supply conduit, a heat reflector surrounding said gas burner, a grate located above said gas burner, and means in said top panel, said reflector and said grate whereby said reflector and said grate are supported and centered at three points relative to said topburner.

3. In a gas range, a top panel provided with a relatively large top burner opening and three relatively small openings equally spaced around said large opening, a supporting ring removably supported in said large opening at three points by said top panel, a gas burner, a gas supply conduit for said burner supported beneath said top panel,

means supporting said gas burner at two points by said supporting ring and at a third point by said gas supply conduit, an annular heat reflector surrounding said gas burner provided with three equally-spaced semi-circular notches in the periphery thereof, and a circular grate located above said gas burner provided with three equallyspaced lugs projecting downward from the pe-- riphery thereof adapted to pass through the three notches in said heat reflector and into the three equally-spaced openings in said top panel.

4. In a gas range, a cooking top having an opening bound by a downward projecting flange, a plurality of ears projecting inward from said flange, a pilot burner beneath said cooking top, and a removable assembly comprising a, ring resting on said ears, a stirrup secured at its two ends to opposite sides of said ring, a gas burner resting in said stirrup and a flash tube fixed on said ring, said assembly being provided with locating devices so that the burner is central of the opening in the cooking top and the flash tube has one end adjacent said pilot burner and the other end adjacent said gas burner, and said locating devices comprise a pin on each of said supporting ears, the latter being unequally spaced around said flange, said ring having a plurality of openings adapted to match with and fit over said pins and a plurality of lugs on said gas burner adapted to fit into openings provided in said stirrup.

ALBERT E. SMALLWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Oatley Oct. 24, 1944 

